


Persistent

by The_Marauders_Oath



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Love, Male-Female Friendship, Older Man/Younger Woman, Promises, They can be together depending on how you look at it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2019-02-04 16:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12775113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Marauders_Oath/pseuds/The_Marauders_Oath
Summary: He'd been off since he'd gotten back, everyone knew, but only his top auror was willing to do anything & everything to get him to talk to her. To make him understand he wasn't the only one who'd suffered & been broken by Grindelwald.





	Persistent

Tuesday. It was now Tuesday, one in the morning to be exact. Lionel had sat outside Percival's home for the last four hours, being pelted & soaked to the bone by rain, & the occasional odd look from a passerby. As soon as she'd gotten out of the MACUSA, she apparated in front of his home. Like a statue, she waited until he was ready to speak to her.

Three months Percival had been back, taking his rightful position as their Director of Magical Security. He had come back different that day. The first day Lionel saw him again she cried without hesitation in front of the other aurors. However, it took her a face to face meeting to tell just how much of him had been lost. She hoped he'd just forgotten.

Forgotten to give her his signature miniscule smile upon seeing her each time. Forgotten to say a cheerful 'hello'. Maybe he'd forgotten how happy he'd be to see her each day, & worry when he did not. Forgotten memories of the promises he swore to uphold when they were alone. Maybe... maybe Percival Graves had forgotten her.

It hurt her to think he'd forgotten all about her. Lionel had been one of Percival's favorites if she was blunt. But after awhile, she realized that Percival hadn't forgotten her- nope, he was _ignoring_ her. The man wouldn't address her nor speak to her unless there was no other choice. He _avoided_ her. That  _ **killed** her._

Yet here she sat, dripping wet on stone steps leading to a small two story home in the middle of New York. Lionel stared at the sidewalk, eyes intent on the wet surface. She was pulled out of her mindless zoning when a violent shiver wracked her frame. Only now did she notice the way her hair stuck to her face. Clothes clinging to her body like a second skin. Teeth chattering & fingertips so numb from the cold it hurt.

_Why am I even here?_ She questioned herself, blinking the rain out of her lashes. Two months & still Lionel was nowhere with her mentor. If he didn't want to remotely be near her why didn't he just fire her? Or demote her to working in the archives? Lionel huffed & hunched over, closing her eyes & letting the hard thudding of the rain over the pavement consume her senses.

* * *

  _SLAM!_

Lionel jolted upright at the sudden noise. Brown eyes wide as they zeroed in on the source of the sound. A car. It was a family; mother, father, & child all getting ready for their daily commute. She watched them briefly, waving as the little boy smiled & waved frantically at her.

"Alright. Time to try again." With that Lionel stood & faced the door, knocking as she had done hours ago. She checked her phone. It was now six o'clock, she was shocked she fell asleep outside in the harsh weather that seemed to settle now. No reply at all.

She sighed softly.

_To his office then._ Lionel thought annoyed at the man's childish actions. She glanced about, no No-majs in sight; she quickly changed into dry clothing & apparated just outside Percival's office. Her unannounced entrance startling fellow aurors at work. She ignored them & immediately grab the doorknob, ignoring the secretary's protests.

"He's not in!" She spouted.

"Shut it Carey!" Lionel said sharply, the auburn haired woman fell silent. She threw open the door, surprising the people inside. Percival & Madam President Picquery. "Ma'am." She said curtly, brown eyes focusing intently on the director.

"Lionel, nice to see you." Picquery said with a soft smile. She wasn't oblivious as to why the young auror had bursted into the room. "I believe we are done here. Wouldn't you say Graves?" She questioned, looking to the man.

He coughed, "But ma'am-" Picquery waved it off much to his displeasure.

"We can discuss this more later, the information I've given you now is more than enough." She said quickly exited the room, & shutting the door behind them. Silence befell the room. Lionel mentally cursed her older sister for doing this to her.

They stared at one another without saying a word. Soon Percival's gaze dropped as he leaned forward onto the desk with both hands, focusing on the scattered papers. Even from her place, Lionel could clearly make out Grindelwald's mugshot. He had escaped _again_. The silence, regardless unpleasant, gave Lionel time to think of what to say.

_Why? Why did you ignore me? Why aren't you talking to me? Why won't you look at me?_ The 'whys' went on & on, each new 'why' fumbling around in her mind. She shut her eyes tightly for a moment to collect herself. Yet upon asking the question, her voice still betrayed the calm facade she so desperately tried to convey.

_"Why?"_ Her voice sounded foreign to her. It held up more emotion than she had expressed in years; confused, sad, irritated, & angry all at the same time.

"You don't have to be here. I didn't ask you to be." Percival merely replied, eyes clicking up & meeting hers. His rich brown eyes blank as a sheet of paper. Expression like that of a statue. Lionel ignored the fact he hadn't answered her question properly.

Her brows knitted together as she moved closer, stopping on the other side of his desk. She sighed. Something she'd been doing a lot as of late, dropping her eyes to the papers. Lionel's hand reached out, shuffling them around to glance over the other documents beneath. She smiled softly.

"Yeah, well, you need someone right now. And I'm sure as hell not gonna leave you in this state." She stated, barely noticing the slight movement of her mentor. Her eyes flickered up, Percival had the faintest closed mouth smile ghost on his lips.

"Fine." His tone mocking that of annoyance. Lionel's eyes widened in surprise. Was that it? Her bewildered look made the smile more noticeable to her trained eyes.

"Don't shut me out again, please." She muttered softly, "You're not alone, there are other survivors of Grindelwald's." Percival's eyes shifted down to the hand covering his own, analyzing the various scars littering the young woman's hand. Some dark & others light, clean cuts & jagged ones criss-crossing over one another. His jaw clenched as he was reminded of the scars that continued up her arms & neck, now covered by various tattoos.

He nodded, turning his palm up & taking hold of her cold hand. Thumb dragging across her knuckles, feeling the differences the scars had caused. Percival glanced up, being mindful of her reaction. Lionel wasn't even focused on him. She was focused solely on his touch, smiling softly to herself.

"I won't. I promise."

Lionel nodded, knowing he'd keep to his word this time.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments & kudos welcome! :)


End file.
